In the three games since DeRozan went down, Ross has scored 20 points twice and had 11 points Wednesday against Utah. That’s a 17 points-per-game average. Prior to DeRozan’s injury, Ross was averaging 10.8 points a night. It’s impossible not to recognize that Kyle Lowry has taken on a much heavier scoring load in DeRozan’s absence, but Ross’ numbers have been juiced as well. Ross says the early attention in the offence has helped him settle in. “It’s been good,” he said of having his number called earlier. “It helps me get my rhythm faster rather than just coasting through the game.” He knows his role changed the night DeRozan went down with that tendon tear, but he doesn’t view the change on him as any different than anyone else in the lineup. “I would say it’s the same type of jump,” he said when asked to compared the increased expectations now to when Gay was dealt. “I just have more responsibility. Somebody is out, part of your team is gone so I got to do more. We all do.”
Lewenberg: Ross continues to grow with increased responsibilities | TSN
This challenge is not a new one for Ross, who has been asked to chase around the opposition’s best perimeter player since he stepped into Toronto’s starting lineup following the trade of Gay a year ago. Facing off with the league’s best on a nightly basis, Casey is not expecting him to neutralize these great players, most of them older and wiser than the young Ross. Instead, the goal is to make life difficult for them, make them work, something Ross has been doing a better job of on both ends of the floor. “It takes a lot of energy, a lot of focus on his part on the defensive end,” Casey said. “He’s done okay. He and James kind of tag team together on guys like that so we’ll see how that goes. But he’s been a good defender on guys, making guys work.” Lowry and DeRozan both blossomed into All-Star calibre players once Gay was shipped out of town, but Ross has been the biggest beneficiary of last December’s trade. Going from a reserve with sporadic playing time to a reliable starter and fixture in Casey’s rotation, Ross’ minutes increased by over 10 a night post-trade while his scoring average nearly doubled and he went from a 34 to 40 per cent three-point shooter. Now, Ross is taking full advantage of an opportunity to handle greater responsibility with DeRozan on the shelf.
Winning Without DeMar DeRozan | The Runner Sports
When DeMar DeRozan went down with a torn left adductor longus tendon against Dallas on Friday night, fans immediately started speculating about how the Toronto Raptors, currently sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, would cope without the 2014 All-Star Shooting Guard. There’s currently no official timetable for his return and estimates I’ve seen have him out anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks. With Dwane Casey inserting Greivis Vasquez into the starting lineup, let’s take a look at what we can expect from the Raptors while DeRozan rehabilitates. Let’s begin by looking at what the options were for the starting lineup after DeMar DeRozan went down. One of the keys that I talked about before the season started, was how much depth the Raptors have. That depth is paying off now, as the team has a few players capable of stepping up into that starter’s role. At guard the choices are pretty much limited to Vasquez or Lou Williams. Another potential option would have been to start James Johnson at Small Forward and move Terrence Ross to the 2-guard slot. I actually think this might be the best option for the Raptors instead of what we’ve seen with Greivis Vasquez starting.
Advanced Stats say Kyle Lowry – MVP of the EAST | RealGM
Kyle Lowry is leading the East right now in both Win Shares and Value Added, and arguably leading the East in PER. Currently Wade has a slightly better PER but has only played in 11 games vs 19 for K-Low. He also has the best Assist to Turnover among starters in the East. Kyle is a LOCK for All-Star and to me he should be legitimately in the conversation for MVP. Numbers don’t lie!
The Biggest Early-Season Concern Facing Toronto Raptors | Bleacher Report
With DeRozan’s return at least a month away, the Raptors will have an opportunity to make a statement about their depth and fortitude. But they also face some danger that their high-powered offense could malfunction.
Tracy McGrady to be honoured by Raptors on Friday at Cavs game | Toronto Star
While Carter drew an unexpected standing ovation during a video tribute last month at the Air Canada Centre, it’s unclear whether Raptors fans will be equally magnanimous with his distant cousin. Like Carter, McGrady was heavily booed in subsequent visits to Toronto after leaving the Raptors. The talented, athletic small forward left Toronto in 2000 after the end of his three-year rookie contract. His departure left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Raptor fans, who had staged a vocal public campaign for McGrady to re-sign. McGrady, who had come off the bench in his first two seasons, had just become a starter, and together with Carter, helped lead the team to its first-ever playoff berth.
T-Mac is Coming Back: McGrady to be Honoured Friday by Raptors | Raptors HQ
Fourteen years after he was traded to the Orlando Magic, Tracy McGrady will return to be honoured by the Toronto Raptors organization this Friday when the Raptors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’ll be the third of seven 20th Anniversary Nights, when the Raptors wear their throwback purple jerseys and pay tribute to former players. Much like Vince Carter, the other early 2000’s Raptors superstar who was traded away, Raptors fans have booed McGrady relentlessly in the past. Looks like this Friday will continue a year of forgiveness, as Carter got his tribute last month. Winning really does heal all wounds.
NBA preview: Cavs at Raptors | The Independent
Cleveland is 2-2 on the second night of back-to-backs. … The Cavs had three top-30 scorers in the NBA entering Thursday with James tied for third (24.9), Irving 12th (21.5) and Love tied for 29th (17.9). … James also ranked sixth in assists (7.4) and fifth in turnovers (3.9). … Cleveland’s 3-of-16 shooting from the arc (18.8 percent) against Toronto on Nov. 22 represented season lows in 3-point makes and percentage entering Thursday’s game in New York. Their 20 turnovers also were a season worst. … Cleveland’s bench had been outscored six of its past seven games entering Thursday and had been limited to 19 points or less on eight occasions overall this season.
Raptors-Cavaliers: Friday game preview | Toronto Star
The Cavaliers are starting to heat up after struggling during the first month of the season. They went 4-1 during their most recent homestand . . . LeBron James was averaging a team-high 24.9 points per game heading in to last night. Kyrie Irving was next in line with 21.5 points per game.
Can The Cavaliers Get Revenge On The Raptors? | Pro Bball Report
In their first game against Cavaliers, it was DeRozan who held James to just 15 points and helped turn the Cavaliers best scorer into a passer, but that happened because Casey didn’t have the option to use James Johnson. On Friday, Johnson will be available and Casey has to be hoping the better defender can do at least as good a job as his All-Star scorer did on James. The Cavaliers have been a tough team to figure out this season. Chemistry issues were to be anticipated, but the Cavs have been like Jekyll and Hyde. 1-3 to start the season, then a 4 game winning streak followed by a 4 game losing streak and now a new 5 game winning streak. Not that the recent wins over the Bucks and then the Knicks by the smallest of margins has been exactly awe-inspiring.
NBA Preview – Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors – Dec 05, 2014 | CBSSports.com
The Raptors are looking for a third straight home victory in the series for the first time since a seven-game winning streak over the Cavaliers in Toronto from May 5, 1999-April 17, 2002.
What every business can learn from the Toronto Raptors | Digital Journal
The starting five for the Raps are filled with all-star material, but what about those bench players who play fewer minutes but are sorely needed when the starters need to rest? Toronto’s bench ranks third in defensive efficiency, so they are tough defenders when the starters ride the pine. How’s that for clutch?! Often, opponents carve up bench players, seeing them as second-rate ballers who may not be as talented as the core team. And don’t discount the skillset of a Raptors bench player – last week, Raptors guard Lou Williams won the Eastern Conference Player of the Week Award for just being plain lights-out offensively.
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